AP Lang Vocab 1-8

vacillate

vacillate

(verb) to act in an indecisive manner

catharsis

(noun) a purging, a cleansing, a spiritual purification that brings with it release from tension or emotional stress

ennui

(noun) listlessness, dissatisfaction, or a feeling of discontent that usually results from boredom

caveat

(noun) a warning or caution

caprice

(noun) a sudden and unpredictable change or turn of mind

palliate

(verb) 1: to cover by excuses and/or apologies 2: to lessen the violence of, to abate

assuage

(verb) to ease his or her pain

axiom

(noun) a proposition regarded as a self-evident truth

holocaust

(noun) a widespread destruction by fire

chagrin

(noun) distress of mind caused by humiliation, disappointment or failure

foible

(noun) a fault, a minor flaw in character (weakness)

fortnight

(noun) a period of time lasting 14 nights or two weeks

ecdysiast

(noun) shedding the outer coat or integument

grotesque

(adjective) bizarre, absurdly incongruous, departing from the natural, the typical

fickle

(adjective) capricious; casually changeable;not constant in loyalty or affection

fulminate

(verb) to explode

dotage

(noun) a state of feeblemindness, especially in old age

expurgate

(verb) to remove that which is morally harmful, offensive, or erroneous

specious

(adjective) deceptively attractive or having the ring of truth but is actually false

ostracize

(verb) 1: to ban 2: to exclude from a group by popular consent

calumniate

(verb) to make false charges

vicissitude

(noun) a sudden change in one's routine

titillate

(verb) to excite pleasurably

sesquipedalian

(noun) usually long

turgid

(adj) swollen;inflated

chimera

(noun) a fanciful illusion

nirvana

(noun) an ideal condition of rest, harmony; stability

avuncular

(adj) having characteristics of a benevolent uncle

alpha and omega

(noun) the beginning and the end

nebulous

(adj) hazy; indistinct

bane

(noun) something noxious or poisonous

imprecation

(noun) curse; evil invocation

frenetic

(adj) frantic; frenzied

cenotaph

(noun) a tomb or monument made in honor of a person whose body is buried elsewhere

unctuous

(adj) oily; smooth

moribund

(adj) obsolescent; about to die

bandiage

(noun) playful teasing

extirpate

(verb) to wipe out completely

apotheosis

(noun) deity; glorification

swastika

(noun) symbol of tyranny

apocalypse

(noun) a prophetic (predicting what will happen in the future) revelation, disclosure, or discovery

inimical

(adj) unfriendly, hostile, harmful in effect (can be used when health is concerned, a poor diet, smoking etc)

vagary

(noun) an unpredictable action or notion/idea

austere

(adj) stern; unadorned; forbidding in manner or appearance

parochial

(adj) confined or restricted as if within the border of a parish (religion)

demagogue

(noun) a leader who makes false promises to gain power

truckle

(verb) to submit, to yield obsequiously, or to act in a subservient (prepared to obey others unquestioningly) manner

torpor

(noun) activity/state that is lacking in energy, sluggish in functioning

licentious

(adj) freedom relative to moral discipline, sexual restraint, or behaving in a manner inconsistent with rules and standards imposed by a society

charisma

(noun) personal charm that allows one to hold sway over people

vestige

(noun) a trace or visible sign left behind by something vanished or lost (footprint)

peremptory

(adj) absolute, final, leaves no room for discussion, not negotiable

audacious

(adj) bold, adventurous, intrepid, reckless

monolithic

(adj) anything that is one massive whole, exhibiting solid conformity and one harmonious pattern throughout

obelisk

(noun) -a four-sided monolithic (one stone) pillar, tapering as it rises and terminating in a pyramid -a mark of reference (an inverted spit or dagger) found in textbooks

akimbo

(adj, adverb) the expression "arms akimbo" means a position in which a person's hands are placed on the hips with the elbows extended outward

cursory

(adj) superficially done; done hastily without taking notes of details

eponym

(noun) the person whom something is named after

penchant

(noun) a strong taste or liking for something, a preference

asinine

(adj) silly, stupid, uninteligent

penury

(noun) poverty, absence of resources, destitution, dire need

explicate

(verb) to provide a detailed explanation (great detail, useful)

obfuscate

(verb) to confuse, to obscure, to darken

excoriate

(verb) to censure (express severe disapproval of) in a critical manner

impunge

(verb) to have something opposed or attacked as false

cozen

(verb) -to deceive by petty trickery or fraud -to persuade someone to do something by wheedling

emulate

(verb) to strive to be equal or to excel, to imitate

obtuse

(adjective) -lacking sharpness of mind -blunt, dull

adamant

(adjective) unyielding, inflexible, especially in the face of opposition

virulent

(adjective) extremely toxic (disease, virus, or potion)

exurb

(noun) areas found outside a city and beyond what are usually classified as suburbs

exult

(verb) to leap up brought about by joy and jubilation

euphemism

(noun) a substitute word or expression that is used to avoid a word or expression that might offend some individuals or suggest to them that which is unpleasant

flatulent

(adjective) to be pompous, pretentious, without real substance or worth

facade

(noun) a false appearance (an artificial or deceptive front)

euphoria

(noun) a feeling of great happiness or well-being (feeling often unexplainable)

expatiate

(verb) to speak or write in great length (never ending, a waste, not a good thing)

heinous

(adjective) something (usually a deed) that is shockingly evil or outrageously bad

exigency

(noun) an emergency/a pressing or urgent situation

exculpate

(verb) to clear from alleged fault or blame/to clear from guilt